E-bookreport

The Complete Colour Reference Manual, J. Miner, 1997

The e-book The Complete Colour Reference Manual is published as a electronic HTML version in 1997. It is exactly what is the name of the book - the reference list. If you want to read about colour theory or see good colour samples and graphic images you have to look for this information elsewhere.

The author missed the whole point with having electronic version of the book - and that is that one can change an on-line book as often as needed. It is impossible to alter hardcopy books that are sold, but it is possible to update an on-line book to have an up-to-date content or appearance.

The book is a perfect example of how you shouldn’t do — graphically and structurally. Graphically the book has irritating layout, chosen background, colour of the letters, spacing between lines, all this makes it very hard to read. Author brakes almost every good practice of graphic design. Silly animations and complete lack of images doesn’t make reading of the book much more interesting.

Structurally book is a nightmare for reader, links are messy, pages are long and unstructured text goes in a long chunks. There is a general index for the whole book but the problem is that you cant get back on the main page or to other chapters or any other place on the web for this matter.

When it comes to content of the book one should admit that the book is a reference list although unstructured and chaotic but a reference list. There is a lot’s of facts about different colours but when one read:

"THE STUDIES ALSO SHOWED: Pastels and neutrals appeal to up-market people.

THE TEST REVEALED THAT: * Brown cans are good for Wax, or polish for wooden furniture."

without actually naming what kind of studies or tests are used as arguments and with bibliography part is non-existent, you start to question the seriousness of the book.

Overall one should say that if you thinking about reading something about colours, then read something else.